This past Thursday, I found myself among a small crowd awaiting the drop of Steve Lacy’s first album since Gemini Rights, a well-known project released four summers ago showcasing his artistry and talent as both a writer and producer. He grew up as part of the collective/band the Internet and has since worked on projects with Kali Uchis, co-wrote and produced Ravyn Lenae’s EP Crush, and has collaborated with other artists such as Tyler, the Creator, J. COLE, Mac Miller, and Kendrick Lamar.
Rightfully so, fans have been hungry for new music, with so much time passing since Gemini Rights. This summer started with the drop of the first single, “the feeling” in early June, beginning and hinting at Lacy’s new era.
The release party took place at artist Lauren Halsey’s installation, Sister Dreamer, a sculpture park honoring South Central L.A., on the corner of South Western and 76th Street. As an L.A. native himself, it was a beautifully cohesive choice for Lacy to celebrate his work in tandem with another talented local artist. As my friend Nico and I explored the park and the countdown to the album began, we were also served an array of delicious snacks worth mentioning. The highlight was the king oyster mushroom with an agave germ, but we also tried branzino with pomegranate molasses, a BBQ chicken caesar skewer, mini shrimp and grits, and an oxtail taco.
A couple of minutes before Oh yeah?’s drop, people started to gather around the speakers as Lacy walked out to greet his supporters. He spoke to the crowd, humbly admitting his nerves, and invited everyone to “send this shit to the moon.” The last three minutes were dedicated to a short, adorable speech from his mom, who expressed her gratitude for her son, the family they have grown, and her belief in the power of music and community.
9 p.m. struck, and Lacy played the album, hopping into the center to dance along to every song, while his close friends and family sang his lyrics back at him. At the end of the first listen, he sang “the feeling” acapella, inviting everyone to join him, before he decided to give the album a second listen-through. As someone who likes to sit with new music, I appreciated revisiting the project a second time, and it seemed everyone else shared my sentiment, as they danced harder and even started singing words that stuck from the first listen.
In proper Steve Lacy fashion, the album is incredibly well-rounded, including a balance of emotional stripped-back songs, such as “nothing,” bangers like “the feeling,” alongside a couple notable features from artists such as SZA and Cecile Believe. Nico and I’s standout from the night is the fourth track on the project, “pure colour,” a groovy song Lacy had Erykah Badu lay some additional vocals on.
Oh yeah?’s arrival marks Steve Lacy’s much-needed reentrance into the music industry. It stands as a summer gift for old as well as new listeners, and I am confident these songs will be top picks for many summer beach and late-night drive playlists to dance to.
Listen to Oh yeah? here!
